Improved process of hardening iron



NITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

IMPROVED PROCESS OF HARDENING IRON.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 13,813, dated August 9,1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS OHAPPELL and WILLIAM ASHLEY J ONES, both ofWinona, in the county of Winona and State of Minnesota, have invented anew and Improved Process for Hardening Iron; and we do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,which will enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and usethe same.

This invention is based on the discovery that by heating a piece of ironor steel to a white heat, and at the same time heating a piece ofcast-iron of that kind which is used for kettles or other "essels to amelting heat and then quickly rubbing the two together, or by dippingthe heated iron, steel, or other metal in cast-iron of the class abovedescribed, melted in a crucible for a short period of time, the two willso blend that by at once cooling the same in water it will become sohard that no file will touch it.

Our invention consists in hardening steel, iron, or other metal bybringing the same, when heated to a white heat, in contact withcast-iron of that class generally used for kettles or other vessels, andheated to meltingheat and then cooling it atonce by immersion in water.

- In executing our process We use a piece of an old kettle or othersimilar vessel or castiron of a similar nature to that used in themanufacture of kettles or other similar articles, and place the same,together with the iron, steel, or other-metal to be hardened, in ablacksmiths fire, and when both pieces are heated ble, so that the pieceto be hardened can be readily dipped in the molten metal and thencooled, when the hardening process is accomplished.

Our process is particularly applicable for the purpose of hardening ironhorseshoes, calks, and toes, boxes and spindles for railroad-cars,wagons, carriages, mills, drag-teeth, wagontires-in short, for all partsof machinery or.

other articles which-are exposed to particular wear, and when treatedaccording to our process such articles are fully protected against wear,and they will last for a very long time. \Ve claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- The within-described process of hardening ironor other metal by bringing the article to be hardened, when heated to awhite heat, in

contact with a piece of old cast-iron kettle or other similar cast-ironheated to a meltingheat and then cooling suddenly, substantially asherein specified.

THOMAS OHAPPELL. WILLIAM ASHLEY JONES. Witnesses:

O. H. BERRY, G. W. WATERMAN.

